Please come home
by YuryJulian
Summary: How should I describe it? If I say something you will know what happend. All I can tell you, it is a third season fic. Now completed!
1. Default Chapter

Disc: All rights belong to the maker of seaQuest DSV and I will not earn any money from writing this story.  
  
This fanfic was my first seaQuest story. Writing it was good therapy to deal with Jonathan's death, and I discovered my love for writing again. Some dialogues and events will be changed from the German version, but the story itself is still the same. I have loved science fiction ever since I can remember and that was the reason why I chose this story to write down. Have fun!  
  
I like to thank KatKnits and Refur for their beta reading!! I am glad to have you two.  
  
Coming Home by Yury Julian  
  
"Status?"  
  
"All quiet, sir," Lieutenant O'Neill answered.  
  
"What are they doing there?" Captain Hudson leaned nearer to his monitor. Directly in front of the seaQuest were some Macronesian Alliance warships at the bottom of the sea. None of them were moving. The circumstances – they were in international waters – bound the seaQuest's hands.  
  
"Perhaps we should hail them again," suggested Commander Ford.  
  
"They didn't answer the last six times. Why now?" O'Neill said sarcastically, with a look at his friend seated on his left.  
  
"I don't like this situation. The Alliance aren't known for their peaceful breaks on the seabed." Hudson straightened up again and looked at Lietuenant Henderson. "Scan the surroundings for more ships. If there are none, then keep your eyes open for anything at all. Something is wrong here, and goddamnit I want to know what." He was irritable. The UEO was neutral, as always, and McGath was still wondering why more and more international waters were falling to the Alliance. He was trying so hard to prevent a war, he didn't realize that this war had already begun.  
  
"Captain? There's a tanker to the south-east on a direct course with seaQuest," reported Henderson.  
  
"A tanker?"  
  
"Yes, Sir. I'm sorry, but my sensors aren't giving me any more information."  
  
"Hail them!"  
  
"Aye." After a brief moment the dark-haired woman reported. "No answer, Sir."  
  
"Try again."  
  
"The tanker has stopped," said Henderson.  
  
"Maybe it belongs to the Alliance?" speculated Commander Ford.  
  
"There's a shuttle heading for us."  
  
"From the tanker?" Captain Hudson asked Lieutenant Henderson.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Uhm..., sir," O'Neill had one hand on his headset. "The shuttle is asking for permission to dock with seaQuest."  
  
"No-ones coming on board this ship until they identify themselves."  
  
"They say don't have to identify themselves," the lieutenant said.  
  
"They're preparing to dock," noted Ford with a quick look at his console. An light shudder went through the ship. "Correction: they've started the laser docking maneuver and they'll break through soon."  
  
"Commander, you go with a security team to the docking bay. Close the whole section. We'll see if anybody comes on board without my permission."  
  
The commander left his position immediately to carry out Hudson's order. No signal was sent out from the tanker, which lay half a seamile away from seaQuest as quietly as the Macronesian Alliance ships. The bridgecrew were all tense.  
  
At the helm sat two young recruits, who had come on board a few days ago directly from the Academy. Now they were exchanging nervous looks. This was their first mission.  
  
"Why aren't they moving?" whispered Henderson to herself after a while.  
  
"They have no reason to, since seaQuest has walked straight into their trap. Congratulations Oliver. You did it. At this moment President Bourne is drinking victory champagne."  
  
Hudson turned around immediately. Nathan Bridger stepped onto the Bridge, followed by Commander Ford and some other security men, and stood behind him.  
  
"Nathan! I could have shot down your damn shuttle. Why the Hell didn't you identify yourself?"  
  
"It was too risky. I'm sure they're listening into your transmissions. In any case, you should put some distance between you and them immediately. Your sensors haven't picked it up yet, but they've hacked into your systems, and I must say I am very suprised that it was so easy for them. What's Lucas doing?"  
  
"Ensing Wolenczak is currently off duty, and I still give the orders round here. Right now I want to observe these enemy ships some more. Could you explain how you know they've hacked into our systems?" Captain Hudson was awaiting an answer.  
  
"Call Lucas, Oliver. He'll show you straight away. After that I'll tell you everything, but get away from these ships as fast as possible. I don't know what they want with seaQuest, but if I know the Alliance, it isn't looking good for you."  
  
It wasn't his usual custom, but to argue with Nathan Bridger would take an eternity, so he summoned Lucas.  
  
Five minutes later the young ensign appeared, with shaggy hair and eyes red from sleep. He was wearing only blue jeans. As he saw Bridger a pleased little smile flitted over his face. "Captain."  
  
"Later, Lucas. Firstly we have to convince this pigheaded man that he should get his boat away from the Alliance ships as soon as possible."  
  
Lucas looked over Commander Ford's shoulder at his screen. "What kind of an anomaly is that?"  
  
The Commander was looking at him, confused.  
  
"Let me use your station." Now Jonathan Ford had to stand up from his seat and give the young man some space.  
  
"What did I say? He hasn't been on the bridgefive minutes, and he's already found your leak." Nathan said to Oliver. It was pleasing that his young friend was giving him the confirmation he needed to convince Oliver.  
  
"We're always having anomalies. That doesn't mean anything."  
  
"I'm worried about this one." Lucas sounded concerned. "How did they manage to get through my barrier?" he said, angrily.  
  
"What are you saying, Ensign?"  
  
Ah, Bridger thought, now his successor was beginning to hear alarm bells.  
  
"To prevent unauthorised access to the seaQuest's systems, I've written a programme which prevents every log in attempt. But unfortunately somebody's managed to get in. And I can't follow his trail. This can't be happening."  
  
"You should give the order to come about," Bridger advised Captain Hudson.  
  
Hudson turned to Captain Bridger sceptically. "Not before you tell us your secrets. For example, why you believe these ships are the ones who accessed our systems, and best of all, what you know about their plans."  
  
"I don't know much more, except they've managed to develop a new technology. With it, it's child's play to get access to the systems of other ships. At the moment this technology is not fully developed. You have to be very near your target. I have no other information. From the first, the seaQuest was their preferred target, and that's really all I know."  
  
"Captain, we should follow Bridger's advice. There's an incoming signal from the middle ship. I think that's our uninvited guest." interrupted Lucas. The urgency in his voice could not be ignored.  
  
Hudson nodded to his helmsman. "Get us as far away as possible. Full thrust."  
  
The boat was moving, but it suddenly stopped again. The officers who were standing had to search for support, otherwise the impact of the abrupt stop would have knocked them down.  
  
"What the Hell was that?" Hudson shouted.  
  
"I no longer have control over our sensors, sir," reported Henderson.  
  
One after the other each station reported loss of control. "Wolenczak!" Hudson leaned forward towards him. Lucas was typing like crazy on his keyboard, but finally his monitor faded to black as well. He was able to get it back, but the second time it faded, it stayed black. "Damn! They cut me off!" He jumped out of his seat. "But I have still some cards up my sleeve." He hurried to his normal station on the right, on the upper level of the Bridge. Henderson oberserved her young colleague curiously as he went to the free seat beside her and began to open the panels under the station.  
  
Captain Bridger came up to him and knelt down. "I hope you have something very good in store, kiddo."  
  
"I hope so too." Lucas finished fixing some connections and sat down at his station. After typing in some commands his monitor turned on. "It's working – for now." He ran his hand nervously through his hair. He loved difficult challenges, but not when a few minutes before he had been sleeping peacefully on cloud nine. Besides, he would have preferred to face this challenge under a little less pressure. He was against the clock. The longer the enemy was in their systems, the more information and secret files they could gain access to. And that was not even taking into account the possibility that they might manipulate the system, which could prove a major problem. "Let's see if I can't discover our visitor's secret."  
  
"Can you establish control again?" asked Hudson.  
  
"I'll try, but it would be better to get rid of this intruder."  
  
"And who could be better for that than you?" Bridger whispered behind the computer genius.  
  
"Somebody who knows what kind of technology they have access to. I have no clue where to begin. One moment they're here, the next it seems like no-one was ever there. If this is a normal programme to hide their tracks, than I should get a copy urgently. I'm currently working undercover. If they aren't specially looking for me, I should have enough time to find our visitor. Then it..." He stopped speaking. "This is impossible!" Lucas' fingers flowed over the keyboard. "I have as many security barriers build around me as possible. They couldn't have kicked me out without setting off an alarm!"  
  
Someone cleared his throat. "Uhm... It would be great if somebody could help me." Tony was being dragged onto the bridge, a weapon to his temple. Several Macronesian soldiers followed the kidnapper and the crewman.  
  
Lucas rose slowly out of his seat. How did these men get on board?  
  
"What do you want?" asked Captain Hudson in a harsh voice.  
  
"Don't ask stupid questions, Captain. You know exactly why we are here. The seaQuest is the only reason why Macronesian growth is not proceeding according to the desires of our esteemed president, and we are the special unit who will take the problem away." The enemy soldier stood stiffly in front of Hudson. "Your weapon, please!" As Hudson hesitated, the voice of his opponent became sharper. "Believe me, in contrast to you UEO weaklings, my men will not hesitate to shoot." As he said this he nodded in Piccolo's direction.  
  
Reluctantly Hudson pulled out his weapon and threw it on the floor. "Order your people to lay down their weapons, too," ordered the Macronesian.  
  
After a short nod from the captain the crew followed the example of their superior. As the weapons were laid on the floor two more Macronesian soldiers collected them. "Very nice. But we aren't finished yet." A slimy grin appeared on the enemy commander's face. He groped for his PAL and held it out to Hudson. "Your crew will leave the boat immediately. My men are waiting at the docking bay and will be pleased to help you with leaving."  
  
"By shooting at unarmed shuttles after they have left the docking port?" interrupted Bridger.  
  
"By no means! We have orders to take over seaQuest and get the crew out. No killing this time, it'll be completely peaceful." The Macronesian officer's eyes narrowed to slits. "We are only allowed to use our weapons if someone does something stupid. Get your crew off the ship. Or would you rather we shot them all?" He said the last sentence in a harsh voice to emphasise it.  
  
Hudson took the PAL. "Attention all crew. We are leaving the ship. Assemble at the docking bay. I repeat: we are leaving the ship." When he gave back the PAL his face was full of hate. "Satisfied? Now you've got what you wanted."  
  
"Yes, that's correct." Lucas wanted to punch his big fat grinning mouth. Normally Hudson would never give up his boat so easily. Why was Bridger doing nothing?  
  
"My men will bring you to your shuttle."  
  
"No need. I'm quite at home on my boat, I don't need your escort," said Hudson, pushing his way through to follow his people, who were also being pushed along by some enemy soldiers.  
  
At the docking bay were most of the crew, who were following their captain's orders to leave the boat. Bridger got in first before Hudson, who was turning again and looking questioningly past Lucas at the still grinning Macronesian. "What will you do when we're gone? Will you attack any UEO colonies?"  
  
"We aren't bloodhounds! What are you thinking?"  
  
"That you are precisely that. Your esteemed president takes whatever he wants and never considers the men that he ruins. The UEO has always tried to keep peace." Hudson stood up straight. Lucas wasn't able to pass by and Bridger was looking out of the shuttle door, interested. All he could do was wait.  
  
"You're right. This isn't going to be finished without some bloodshed by the Alliance. Congratulations. You managed to end it this way. We said that if you went without arguing, nobody would be hurt, but you didn't keep your side of the bargain." The Macronesian commander grabbed a weapon from the soldier on his right and pointed it at the door of the shuttle.  
  
"DOWN!" Bridger yelled in panic.  
  
Hudson jumped into the shuttle, Lucas directly behind him, then two shots sounded, one after the other. Hudson closed the door immediately. "Get us out of here right away, Henderson," yelled Hudson to the cockpit as he entered it. "Set a course for New Cape Quest and give it everything this thing's got."  
  
Captain Bridger was staring speechless at Lucas' torso. Tony Piccolo, who had come on board the shuttle together with Commander Ford and Tim O'Neill, and had only heard, not seen, what had happened outside, knelt down on the floor. "That's..." he wasn't able to say anything else.  
  
"Lucas..." Bridger knelt down as well and took Lucas' head into his lap. His voice failed.  
  
"Was he hit?" asked Hudson, who was coming back out of the cockpit. "What the Hell?"  
  
The young science officer had been shot, but there was no blood flowing from his wound. A blue liquid was spreading across his white t-shirt. Lucas himself looked like he was feeling no pain. It seemed as if he was simply lying there on the floor, watching clouds pass by.  
  
The shuttle was under fire. Everybody had to grab on to something to stop themselves falling down. But everyone was too bewildered by the strange sight of their fallen comrade to worry about their own safety.  
  
Once the immediate danger was over, Nathan Bridger carefully touched the blue liquid. "It's ice cold!"  
  
"And it doesn't smell good," Tony wrinkled his nose.  
  
"Lucas?" Bridger looked into his young friend's blue eyes, but they weren't responding any more.  
  
"What's happening?" Commander Ford carefully took a few steps back. Lucas began flickering and shimmering violently.  
  
"I have no idea. I've never seen anything like this." Bridger said weakly. There was a whizzing noise and Lucas' image faded away, as if somebody had pulled out the plug. What was left in his place was a riddle for all of them.  
  
"A... robot?" Tony said incredulously.  
  
"Hey, guys, what happened down there? Is somebody hurt? I could do with some help, if you haven't noticed the impacts. We're under fire again," yelled Henderson.  
  
Commander Ford relaxed from his rigid posture. Slowy he skirted the machine in human form which still lay on the floor, and went to the cockpit.  
  
"That's no robot, it's an android," Bridger corrected Piccolo.  
  
"Well that makes sense. Wolenczak was simply too perfect to be human." Hudson had regained his sense of sarcasm.  
  
"No, Lucas is a human being. At least, the one I met on seaQuest after getting command of it is," said Bridger.  
  
"We all thought that, but he isn't." Tony tapped gently on the metal fingers. They were still moving.  
  
"I have a bad feeling about this," said O'Neill, who had had to sit down with all the excitement. "Could the real one, I mean our one, still be there?"  
  
"Be more specific, Lieutenant!" ordered Hudson impatiently.  
  
"Hyperion," answered O'Neill in a low voice.  
  
Bridger followed Piccolo's example and investigated the mechanical body. "That's impossible. Scott would never have allowed one of us to stay behind. And this doesn't look like it's like it's from another planet."  
  
"Of course, Nathan. You're an expert in extraterrestrial technology." Captain Hudson knelt down beside him.  
  
"I didn't say that. But I think it's unlikely. Why would anyone want Lucas...." Hudson interrupted: "He is of above-average intelligence. A real treat for someone who might need that level of skill. He was constantly pushing the limits. You don't really believe that an alien wouldn't take advantage of such an opportunity? "  
  
Bridger shook his head. "This is absurd."  
  
"Where is the real Wolenczak? Tell me!" urged Captain Hudson.  
  
Nathan didn't answer. He was inwardly furious. But Oliver was right. Where was the real Lucas, if he wasn't on board seaQuest? More importantly, when had he been lost and this machine appeared in his place?  
  
"We made it! In three hours we should arrive at New Cape Quest harbour," said Ford as he came back from the cockpit.  
  
"Well, perhaps they'll know what we should do." Hudson stood up. "Until then we'll leave it alone." Bridger glanced at Hudson with a pained expression before he turned to stare at the android again. He still held the head which a few minutes ago had been that of his young friend.  
  
To be continued...  
  
But I don't know when. I started the translation of the second chapter yesterday. Hope I finish it soon. 


	2. chapter 2

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Thank you so much for your beta reading, Refur!!

= = = = = = = = = =

Chapter 2

"You surrendered our flagship peacefully to the Alliance?" McGath yelled at Captain Hudson, who was sitting in front of him. But the captain seemed unaffected by the angry mood of the general secretary.

"With all due respect, Sir, there was no other way. That man would have killed the whole crew, if he'd had to. After that they would have got the boat _and_ the thing which used to be Wolenczak. If I know the UEO, that would have been a serious blow."

McGath seemed a little mollified by this. "Nonetheless, I am deeply unhappy about this situation. Do you know I'll standing in front of the chief of staff later? My advisers are urging me to begin a radical re-armament of the fleet."

"That sounds like a sensible strategy," Hudson said.

"To retake seaQuest by force, and risk losing as many more lives as necessary?" Nathan Bridger objected. Up until now he had been sitting on the couch in the general secretary's office, listening indifferently.

McGath gave a sigh. "We have to think about how to move forward in this case. I'll talk to our technical department. Maybe we'll able to regain control from the outside and bring the boat back safely to the home harbour."

"And if not?" Hudson put his head on one side.

"Then I see no other way than to give the order to destroy seaQuest. Up until then, you and your crew will await further orders on the _Hercules_." These words were not easy for the general secretary.

"Isn't that one of your newest boats? I thought they were still in the testing phase," said Bridger, standing up and going over to McGath's desk.

"For somebody who isn't on active duty any more, you're very well informed. Regrettably. You should've warned us earlier, Nathan. The seaQuest wouldn't have fallen into the hands of these barbarians!" said McGath.

"No one regrets it more than me. You know it."

"Mr. Secretary." Captain Hudson stood up from his stool. "If that is all, then I would like to inform my crew of the new orders."

"I'll let you know as soon as I have any new information."

Hudson left the office. Bridger looked like he was going to leave too, but he didn't move. McGath had started working on the files on his desk. "You want to talk about Wolenczak?"

Bridger sat down on the stool, the one Hudson had vacated moments before. "I want to know what action you're going to take in this matter."

"I'm going to charge him with desertion."

"You can't do that. He's not a soldier!" Bridger shouted. He was angry with the way McGath pronounced this sentence. He knew Lucas very well, and he knew that he was very talented. He couldn't let him be sent to prison, or worse, when they finally found him.

"That's not what his file says. We don't know where this thing comes from, but if the real flesh and blood Wolenczak is walking around somewhere on this planet and letting this machine do his job, which he has to do according to his contract, then he will be handled like any other officer who leaves his post before his duty ends."

"The personal file only contains a contract for after _seaQuest _reappeared. Are you still going to shoot him if it turns out his signature was forged by the android?"

"I have no reason to doubt that signature. If Wolenczak had built this copy of himself before seaQuest disappeared, I'm sure the media would have found him by now. A scientist with his talent can't hide for long."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"But I am. His actions were irresponsible. If it had been him and not his copy on board, things might have turned out differently." He was right, and Nathan knew it. If Lucas had still been on board, he would have been able to use his talents to prevent the Alliance taking over.

"Does that mean you're planning to blame Lucas for this?" Bridger was outraged.

"That's right. Now will you let me get on with my work? I have to send out an announcement about a missing person, and try to prevent us from losing more innocent colonies to the Alliance now that it's stronger."

Bridger thought about continuing to argue, but he decided to let it be. What good would it do to argue with McGath? If he was about to send out his missing person's report, then Bridger would have to start his search as well, before the UEO found the computer genius. Unlike them, he thought he might have a lead, provided that the thing in his pocket was what he hoped it was.

Fortunately, the Macronesian boats had let Bridger's tanker go after taking seaQuest. Having left UEO headquartes, Bridger went to his private rooms. His crew would not disturb him for the next few hours.

To be sure of no disruption he bolted the door. He took off his leather jacket and threw it on his bunk, then fished in his pocket and pulled out the thin metal plate. It was shaped like a jumping dolphin, and looked like a present that he had given to Lucas to his seventeenth birthday; but that dolphin had been made of glass, and had emitted light when you pushed its fin. At that time Lucas had lived on Bridger's island for a little while, and had complained constantly about the defective bulb in his room. He said the bulb was so bad that he wasn't able to read in there before going to sleep, and he wanted to read in his own bed, not in the living room. Bridger hadn't understood what was wrong with the living room; in the beginning he had thought it was something to do with him, but later he had come to the conclusion this was one of Lucas' peculiarities, which he was gradually discovering at the time.

Because of this, Bridger was absolutely sure the little object was intended for him. A message from Lucas. The dolphin had been hidden behind some cables at the connection between the android's neck and body. It hadn't been easy to get it out without being noticed -- none of the crew had been able to tear their gaze away from the metal body for long. After several attempts, he had managed to slip the dolphin into his pocket.

He examined the little piece from all sides. Could there be something hidden in it? It was extremely thin, and there was no external sign of any mechanism. His idea of pressing the fin yielded no results. Carefully, he pressed each part of the tiny dolphin's surface. Suddenly a bright light began to shine from the object's eyes. Frightened, Bridger let it fall from his hand.

The beam of light unfolded upwards like a fan, and in the next instant a picture of Lucas appeared. Nathan inwardly jumped for joy. He knew it! Lucas had not been on board for a long time before Hyperion. This projection showed him as he had looked at the beginning of the second tour.

The projection took a deep breath. "If this thing has been activated, I guess my stand-in is no longer operational." The projection sat down, legs crossed. His hands slid nervously through his short, thick hair. "Uhm, where should I begin? Unfortunately I don't know who activated this recording. That's why I made two. I can think of a lot of ways that someone could abuse my stand-in, so to avoid this I made a second recording. That just leaves the question of how either of them can be activated. I chose something quite simple for the purpose: voice-identification. OK, just say something to me and the message will continue."

A smile flitted over Bridger's face. Yes, this was Lucas at his favorite passtime: showing others how smart he was. "Hello Lucas," he said.

The projection of Lucas looked at the ground. "Just the person I left this for. The recording would've cut off if anybody else had answered. I guess you're hoping for a few answers, Captain?"

He was right. But Bridger hoped there would be more than a few.

"To begin at the beginning, we need to go back to an event that you can't remember. At least, that's what they told me. Everything I'm about to tell you now never happened in your memory. Especially the strange encounter at the beginning of the tour with the new boat. Can you remember how excited everyone was? Particularly the new crewmembers. Who would have imagined meeting extraterrestials on a submarine? The UEO took every security precaution, and finally we met them. In all, it was an unforgettable event." He paused briefly.

Bridger did remember. Scott, his old friend, had been pretty offended that they had disappeared without a word during their second landing. But what was Lucas saying about a meeting?

"You shouldn't know this, if what I was told is true. But they were there and we contacted them. One more than the others. We tried to learn from each other. There were moments during these meetings when it seemed like the whole situation was going to escalate. But that isn't important right now. What I have to say now is that I went with them. They asked me to find a new home for them – their own was destroyed, for the same reasons which will destroy our own planet some day, too.

"The decision to go with my new friends wasn't easy. How could I, when seaQuest needed me more? Where was the UEO going to find someone quickly enough to replace me? The computer system was built according to the design of my father's programme from the first seaQuest, but with some new tricks of my own. I hadn't been able to complete it yet, and I wrote some files to help out. But this wasn't a problem for my new friends: before I was able to ask about it, this android was standing in front of me which was able to store up all my knowledge. There was a holographic projector in it which allowed it to look like me. It was even able to produce human warmth. Please don't ask me how this works. I hope to find out about the secrets of their technology soon.

"It's unbelieveable. To develop something like this must have taken centuries. But you've already seen it for yourself. Anyway, after they had given me a good solution to my problem, I still wasn't sure about leaving you all. I thought about what the Earth had to offer, and what they could give me; unfortunately, the latter won out."

Lucas stood up and began to pace nervously up and down. "So now you know that I went with them. Hopefully the android is working the way it should, and seaQuest won't have collapsed into a pile of ashes the moment I left." He smiled. "Neverthless, I don't regret anything at the moment. Maybe I will some day, when I'm old or get terrible homesickness. Right now I'm happily looking forward to the future. I'd like to thank you for being there whenever I needed you, Captain. If there are any problems, if you urgently need my help, you can contact me by the same method as we used to invite our friends from outer space to visit us."

The message ended and the projection of Lucas disappeared.

Shaking his head, Bridger sat down on his bunk. "That's funny, Lucas. I don't know how you sent that invitation. You're our computer genius, not me." He rested his forehead in his hands. "You and Scott did the only right thing, and left this planet. There's nothing left here to make you happy. During an age of war." He took a deep breath, and stood up to listen to the message a second time.

Afterwards, he paced up and down in his cabin, unable to take any action. In his head thoughts whirled around. At last, his own selfishness won. Determined, he went to his bunk. In a niche at the end of his bed he pushed aside the pictures of Carol, his wife and Robert, their son, as well as the one of his grandchild. He opened a little plate in the wall and pulled out a black, oval object which was about twice the size of his thumbnail.

What was it he'd said about how to activate this thing? Then Bridger remembered, and activated the transmitter. Now he could only wait. Hopefully they were not too far away.

And they weren't. In the evening one of his crewmembers knocked at his door and told him there were two men who said he was expecting them. Bridger told him to bring them to his quarters.

"Thanks. I didn't expect you so soon, but I'm glad of every extra minute."

"What's going on, Nathan? Have you missed me that much?" Scott laughed as he hugged Nathan. Behind him, Tobias entered the cabin. Without a word he shook Bridger's hand in greeting.

"No, but I have something that'll interest you for sure." said the former captain of seaQuest, looking around his cabin. Then he went and got the little dolphin from the secret niche.

"I'm sure you remember how we sent an invitation to those aliens after we found their old spaceship at the bottom of the sea, and they left at the last moment before meeting us."

"Of course. I was rather offended. We made the effort to invite them, and after ringing our doorbell they turned and ran away. I'd always thought that was only a funny game for human kids."

"They have a sixth sense for curious species. They knew you wouldn't let them go once they were under your microscope," Tobias laughed. "That's the way I feel, too."

Nathan laughed as well. It was true, whenever Scott got curious he had more questions than it was possible to answer. "But after they rang, they entered. They were here, Scott."

Scott looked questioningly at Bridger.

"Look at this. This morning fate showed me a little secret." He took the dolphin and showed it to them before activating it. The message started again straight after Bridger's voice had been identified.

Scott starred at the little dolphin incredulously. "This is a joke, isn't it?"

"No, I'm convinced by it," said Nathan.

"What kind of a species was it?" asked Tobias.

"We don't know much about them. They flew away without answering our questions." After exchanging a look with Bridger he added: "Or rather, I don't know anymore, because they did something to us which makes no sense to my mind. Nathan, the boy's playing a trick on you. Have you checked your calendar? Maybe today is the first of April and you haven't spotted it yet. If I know him, he can do such things with no problem at all."

"That is fundamentally impossible," Tobias said. He sat down in the armchair beside a big yucca palm.

"Don't work against me," Scott groaned.

"Is the android here on board?" Tobias asked Nathan.

"Unfortunately not. The UEO has it, and is trying to find out for itself what it is. They've started a search for Lucas. As far as they're concerned he's just a deserter."

"Doesn't he have to be enlisted for that?" asked Scott sceptically. He too sat down in an armchair.

"A lot's changed since we came back. He had to enlist so that he could stay on seaQuest. Hudson doesn't like civilians on board," Nathan explained.

"He already explained that. The android would take his place on the boat, and at once it was no longer needed, it would become redundant." Tobias leaned his elbows on the armrest of the chair.

"That's exactly what I thought. Lucas is not one for the military. He's a scientist." Bridger nodded towards where the dolphin lay on the table. "And we've just seen how good a scientist he is."

"Who exactly is this Hudson?" Scott asked.

Nathan smiled. "You wouldn't get on with him very well. He's a real military man. His order for all civilians to leave seaQuest was as smooth as a punch in the face."

"Nathan? What happend that revealed Lucas' secret?" asked Scott, voicing the one question that up until then had remained unspoken. Bridger gave them a brief account of what had happened only a short time ago.

"Lucas must come back to earth to save seaQuest and bring it back into the right hands," Tobias said. Thoughtfully, he rubbed his hand over his chin. "It needs to be done as soon as possible. But the signal that he spoke about in his message is no good. It tooks months for them to answer last time." Scott gave a nod of confirmation, and Tobias continued. "We could search for him, but where would we search for someone who is with a species that have the technology to manipulate time?"

"We have to try. Lucas is our only hope at the moment. If we can't get the seaQuest back, a terrible war will start within the next few days. This one will be worse than any other before."

"Don't you think you're overreacting, Nathan?" Scott laid a sympathetic hand on Nathan's shoulder. "You see something in this boy that isn't there. In your imagination it seems he's a saint."

"No, that's not how it is. He can do it, I'm sure."

"I could go and listen to see if there are any hints. I don't have much hope, but if a species has settled on an uninhabited planet, it won't have gone unnoticed," said Tobias.

To be continued...

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Thank you very much for all the nice reviews, Ano, Yellowvaley, dolphinology, sara, Refur, Teresa and Zoe!!!

Sara, you see, you were on the right track.


	3. chapter 3

Refur, thank you for your beta reading.

I would also like to thank the following people for their reviews: Alyce, sara (Ortiz and Wendy came back in another story) and dolphinology

"Down there, you see? That must be the colony." Tobias pointed at a rise on the horizon.

"This is just a desert." Scott sat in the spaceship's co-pilot seat. They had descended into the atmosphere at the expected position of the settlement, and were now flying a few metres above the sandy ground.

"Looks like a pile of rocks to me," said Nathan, discouraged. He was losing hope. It was the seventh planet they had visited in the last week, and every one of them had been a failure. They had had to exclude some planets from their search because the environment didn't support human life, but he couldn't believe they would find Lucas on a desert planet either.

"It looks like the walls have become encrusted with sand, which is why it blends into the landscape so well... But it's definitely a colony, and inhabited too, according to our readouts," said Tobias.

"Then let's hope that it's the life-signs we're looking for. Do you want to land in front of the colony?" asked Scott.

"Wouldn't that startle them?" Nathan was still fascinated by what he saw on the huge monitor in front of him.

"That's exactly why I think we should land further away. Be prepared for a long walk. An hour, I should think."

"Great. If they're man-eating zombies we'll have to escape on foot through the desert because our ship's parked an hour away." Apparently Scott was not too keen on his friend's suggestion.

"But it's safer," agreed Nathan.

"And I have this transmitter with me," Tobias showed them a rectangular metal object. "If it turns out to be dangerous, I can activate the ship's autopilot and it'll come to fetch us."

Scott said nothing more, and let his friend begin the landing. As soon as they left the ship the glaring light of the two suns burned their eyes, and the scorching heat made it feel like a stroll through purgatory.

"We should take plenty of water with us. Look like we'll damn well need it," said Nathan with a critical look at the sky.

Hiding behind a rock, the three of them watched what was going on in the colony. Bridger held his breath from the tension. In front of them was a ten or fifteen foot high block of stone like a wall, with many doorways opening into it. Above the doorways were regularly-spaced rectangular windows, behind which they could see humanoid beings with sand-coloured skin passing by.

Outside the building were more of these creatures, smaller than the ones they saw inside. None of them was taller than three and a half feet.

"Are those your aliens?" Tobias whispered.

"They're children!" Scott was astonished.

"Their parents are inside. We'll probably find Lucas there, too," said Tobias, trying to stand up, but Scott held him back.

"Stop, wait! We should observe a while. If we go straight up to them, we could cause a panic."

"Do you think Lucas is really in there?" asked Nathan, his gaze searching the archways.

"No, he isn't."

All three of them were startled by the feminine-sounding voice behind them, and they turned around as fast as they could. From their position on their knees they looked up at the human-like being, which eyed them, as curious as they were. On its forehead was a hoop that seemed to be made of white tubing, which began sparkling now as it began to speak once more.

"Should I take you to him?"

Tobias, who wasn't human, recovered first. "That would be helpful," he said and stood up, drawing himself up to his full height. The alien was still taller than him.

"Follow me." The alien waved with its long fingers, gesturing for the men to follow. Nathan and Scott had still not recovered from their shock. With trembling knees, they went after the creature. It led them inside the building. The children stopped playing; most of them were no taller than the men's hips. Curious, their eyes followed the strange-looking people, but the panic they had feared did not occur.

All of them found the coolness inside the building agreeable. Many other aliens were passing by, and stopped when they saw the humans, but after a nod from the alien who was leading them, they went on their way. Their host gestured at another, smaller alien. "Shu-Thalia will stay with you until I return. Please wait for me."

Wondering what would happen next, the men watched the first alien as it left them to clump up a spiral staircase at the end of the big hall. There was nothing to look at there: no furnishings, no machines, nowhere to sit down. The floor was made of an unknown metal; of the three of them, Tobias was the most interested in this. Shu-Thalia didn't say anything to them. The new alien did not have the device on its forehead which would allow it to communicate with them; all they could do for the moment was wait.

"You saw them coming?" asked the alien, entering the room where someone was standing behind a curtain at the window so as not to be seen from the outside. The person turned around and sighed.

"Yes, I did."

"Should I send them up to you?"

He shook his head. "No! No, not now."

"Don't you want to see them? They asked for you. I said you weren't here."

Lucas ran his hands through his long hair. He didn't know what to say.

"They were worried about you,"said the alien.

"I know." His voice grew quieter. "I saw it in Bridger's face. Did you notice his expression? Something bad has happened, I know it. Nothing else could worry him that much."

"Then I should send them up to you."

"No!" Lucas insisted.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not ready for this visit. I need a little time before meeting them, and it shouldn't be here, where you all live. This is not the right place." He paused for a moment, thinking of what to say next. "Who's with them at the moment? You couldn't have brought them in and left them alone."

"Shu-Thalia is with them. Don't worry. Everything is going to be OK. Why are you frightened?"

"I'm not sure; maybe by what I could hear. If they've been searching for me and come all this way by themselves something bad must have happened. I never thought Bridger would come by himself. I don't even know how it's possible. We haven't got the technology for it, and I can't understand how he was able to find me. This is more than just frightening."

"You don't want to meet them. And what shall we do with them now?"

"Sure, I want to meet them, but not here."

"Lucas, they came here to see you, and I don't believe they will leave if we tell them you're not available at the moment and that they have to come again another day."

The young man was shaking his head. "No, don't send them away. I'm not sure if they'll leave. Bridger won't go back if he thinks he's found my trail." He looked at the alien with determination in his eyes.

"As I said, I'll meet them, but not here. I'd like to see them in private."

"You mean out there?"

"Yes. In the place where I've been working for the last few weeks; it's the right place for this meeting. I'll go down there now; wait here and bring them to me after I've left. If we do it this way, I'll have enough time to prepare for the meeting."

The alien looked at him, worried.

"Please, Fedors. Do me this favor. I know it'd be easier for you to send them up to me now, but I need a little time. I never thought I'd see him again, and now he's followed me halfway round the universe. It isn't easy for me to compete with this unexpected visit."

Fedors nodded and stood. The two of them went down to a corridor where some vehicles were stored. "Let them wait a while before you follow me," Lucas said, and climbed into one of them.

After he drove away Fedors went back to the three humans who were still waiting with Shu-Thalia. The alien nodded at his companion, and Shu-Thalia left.

"Will you take us to Lucas?" said Nathan urgently, but Fedors didn't answer. Lucas didn't want to let them know anything, and so he kept the visitors in the dark.

The alien led them out of the building by the way they had come, and then turned and went around it.

"Where are we going?" Nathan asked their leader again. "I thought Lucas was with you, but now you say he isn't."

"He was," answered the creature.

Nathan began to have an unpleasant feeling in his stomach. He found himself wrestling once more with desperate fear. What did this mean? Had something happened to Lucas?

"Why isn't he with you any more?" Scott sceptically asked the question in Nathan's thoughts.

"Follow me, you'll see." That was all the creature said. It led them to another line of arcades at the back of the building.

"I don't understand. Why he is taking us to the accomodation if Lucas isn't here?" Scott whispered to his friends. Nathan exchanged a brief glance with him. "Do you think they were hostile and just using Lucas for their own purposes?"

"No." Tobias shook his head. "I don't get the impression that they are able to act like that."

After entering the arcades they followed a long passageway which led into the inner building. On the way they met more creatures, many of them with plump bellies. They too observed the strangers curiously, as their children had done before. On each side were stone stairs and archways. Their leader didn't take any of these turnings. He led them constantly straight on.

Nathan guessed they had gone half a mile when a huge room appeard in front of them. "This is unbelieveable," he heard Scott say at his side. The room was a hangar containing many different types of vehicle, most of them space ships. Some were being worked on by sandy-coloured cratures performing repair or maintenance work.

"This way," commanded their leader. He brought them to the left side of the hangar. There was a vehicle stored there which looked like a bulldozer with caterpillar tracks but also something like an Earth tank; however, this one was smaller than the Earth vehicles, and it seemed more maneuverable and not so heavy and clumsy. A door slid open on one side, and the creature signalled to them to enter.

Carefully, they did. At the edges were narrow metal benches, where they sat down. As uncomfortable as they looked, they were pleasant to sit on, but they still felt like prisoners. After the alien entered the door closed behind him. For a short time they were sitting in full darkness, then a little hole opened in the middle of the floor – at least that's what it looked like to the humans – and emitted a bright beam of light just as Lucas' message had, which opened like a fan into a control station.

"It's unbelievable." Nathan smiled inwardly: his friend Scott was right there. The alien let his fingers slide over the controls. Above them, the metal ceiling of the vehicle became transparent, and then started moving. Soundlessly, or so it seemed to the passengers, they came to a wide gate which led them into a dark passage. It was the way out of the building. Nathan discovered that they were now on the back side of the building: he could no longer see all the arcades from the front side, only windows and the wide gate through which they drove now.

"Shouldn't we have arrived by now?" asked Scott after some time. The creature didn't answer. "We've been driving for an hour now, and I'm getting the feeling there's something wrong. What have you done to Lucas?" His voice was becoming angry. Tobias laid his hand comfortingly on his arm, but Scott pushed it away.

"Please have patience. Our destination is not far away now."

"Can you tell me why Lucas isn't with you?" asked Nathan, worried. He couldn't wait any longer. His heartbeat was going like crazy with sorrow for the young genius. He was becoming more impatient every minute, and he couldn't sit still any longer. He was constantly glancing at the desert, and he searched the landscape for anything that had changed.

But again the alien didn't answer. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing with us," Scott scolded, "but it isn't working."

"At the moment we don't know what's going on. It would be better to wait and see what's coming." Tobias tried to calm Scott down, and finally it seemed to work. Scott leaned back sulkily like a schoolboy with crossed arms.

"There is our destination," said the alien, breaking the silence after what seemed like an eternity. Curiously, the men looked around: the vehicle was heading straight towards a large group of buildings which looked like big cubes, the same colour as the alien building. They stopped some distance away from the cubes. Inside everything grew dark, and the console disappeared; then the door opened and they all got out.

"You'll find him here. Follow the wide way," said the alien and got back into his vehicle.

"Wait!" Scott tried to stop him, but the vehicle had already started moving. "Fantastic. Now he's abandoned us in the desert!"

"I should try that one day," Tobias said in an amused tone of voice.

"Oh you're real funny."

Nathan was no longer paying them any attention. He went to the path that the creature had indicated to them. He estimated that the cubes were ten or fifteen foot high, and about the same in width. In the distance there seemed to be bigger ones.

"They look like the building from before, but this time there's only one passageway." Tobias reached Bridger.

"We've got to find Lucas," the captain said, and went on. He was right: further back the cubes were bigger.

"Like a labyrinth," said Scott after a while.

"As long as we stay on the main path, nothing should happen. But you're right, this is really big. Why is nobody living here?" said Tobias.

"Shhh," Nathan suddenly said and stopped.

"Did you hear something?" asked Scott.

"There." Nathan start heading in the direction of the noise he had heard. It sounded like something had fallen onto something metal.

"Someone's there," whispered Scott as they arrived at one of the bigger cubes. They were able to look through the opening inside the building. Their steps became slower; under the arch of the opening they stopped and looked at the figure who sat in the middle of the room with its back to them. The person was working and hadn't heard them.

It was a human. He weared his long blonde hair in a plait at the neck. Bridger set one foot inside the building. His step echoed on the metal floor. Surprised, the person in front of them turned around.

There was silence for a short time, then Nathan went forward and stopped in front of the person, who stood up slowly and stared at him with an expression of wonder.

Bridger smiled, he couldn't stop himself. "Lucas."

Lucas looked at him with joy, too. "So you succeeded in this surprise," he smiled and looked at the ground, embarrassed.

"That was my intention!" Nathan couldn't help it any longer, and hugged his young friend heartily.

"Commander Keller!" Lucas said delightedly as he discovered Scott, and offered him his hand, which Scott took.

"Your friends are real secret keepers. We were thinking all sorts of things because they wouldn't tell us anything about you," Scott said.

"You don't know me, if I understand your message right." Tobias offered him his hand. "I am Professor Tobias LeConte."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Then Lucas turned back to Bridger. "It didn't take long for the thing to get broken, right?"

"I wouldn't say so. It would still work if someone hadn't shot you."

Lucas grew pale. "Somebody tried to shoot me?"

"Not exactly you, but you, or should I say your double, were the easiest target at that particular moment."

"Great." said Lucas sarcastically. "Do things like that happen often?"

"Only when somebody provokes the wrong people," said Nathan, and patted him on his shoulder.

"Wow, I must say for someone who's nearly thirty years old you look pretty young," said Scott, who had been staring at him for a long time. This was not as much of a compliment for Lucas as Scott had thought.

"Thirty?" he asked incredulously. "I'm turning twenty next month! What made you think I was thirty?"

"Wait a moment," Tobias interrupted. "How long have you been here Lucas? Going by your appearance it couldn't be nearly ten years."

"Two and a half, but you don't look any older either." He turned to Bridger and looked at him. "Captain?"

"I think we have to talk about some things. Unfortunately we have no time. At this very moment seaQuest could be being used for warlike purposes while we talk about our ages," said Nathan.

"What happened?" When Lucas heard seaQuest wasn't being used to keep peace on Earth he became worried.

"SeaQuest was captured by an enemy of the UEO. We have to get the boat back, but the Macronesian Alliance has new technology that's going to make it difficult for us. Your android wasn't able to get back control of the boat. It's your job to try it from outside, which'll be more difficult. Provided that you come with us and will help, that is," Bridger explained in the short version.

Lucas took a deep breath. "I can't come with you right away. I know how bad the situation is, but my friends deserve to be informed about my leaving."

"Take your time. If it's possible I like to see what all this here is," said Scott.

"Yes, this could be interesting," Tobias agreed.

The computer genius smiled again. "If we have time." As he said this, he looked at Bridger who nodded. "Then I could show you around."

"That would be fantastic," Commander Keller was beaming with pleasure. Bridger thought he looked like a kid in a candy store. "You must have discovered many more things than I could have managed in this amount of time."

"That's what I think too. Come with me, I want to show you something." Lucas walked quickly over to the niche in the wall. He stretched out his hand, and a trapdoor in the ground opened. Narrow steps went under the building to where a strange light glimmered. "After you!" he offered with a wave of his arm.

Commander Keller didn't need to be asked a second time, and he was already nearly under the ground by the time Nathan reached the trapdoor. Before he went down too he looked at Lucas. "I'm glad you're OK."

"Likewise. I never counted on seeing you or anybody else from Earth again."

"Do you live in this... place, or do your friends bring you here every day to research?"

"I've been spending more time here than with my friends recently." It was true. He had his own apartments in the alien colony, but he had decided to be on his own.

"Alone?"

"It sounds shocking, but yes." Lucas sat down at the edge of the trapdoor and let his legs swing. Bridger sat down, too. Scott and Tobias were occupied with something down there, and they wouldn't miss the other two for a while.

"Why?" he asked the boy.

"You were there, you saw that they're reproducing at the moment. They want to build up a new society, but they'll only succeed if there are enough of them. At the moment there aren't so many. It'll take some time, but not as long as with humans. They grow three times faster than we do. You can tell by the age of the young ones. All of them were born on this world and none are older than two years, but they had the height and intelligence of a six-year-old human. And the fact is, I never liked little children, whether human or alien. They're too loud, and I need to concentrate for my work. They know me, and if I'm working and need silence little children are the last thing I need. When I discovered this ruins of an unknown culture, which lived here a long time ago, I came here more and more often. I had a lot of time to think."

"To me it sounds like you're bored of your friends."

"No, that's not it. They've controlled everything I've been allowed to learn about them. On the one hand I'm supposed to be helping them, but on the other they never let me get near to them. Much of their technology is still a riddle for me because they don't let me have the right information. There are still some of them who let me work, like Fedors, but...." He took a deep breath.

"I know. If Lucas doesn't get any new information, he goes looking for something else." Nathan laughed. "Tell me, who told the android to stay on seaQuest no matter what happened, even though it would mean wearing a uniform?"

The younger man looked at the older questioningly. "I would never dare behave like that. That wasn't my idea." After a short pause he continued, "I'm really a soldier? What does my father have to say?"

"Unfortunately, yes, but we can talk about it later." He couldn't tell Lucas that he was wanted by the UEO for desertion, and absolutely not that his father had been dead for three years. No, he couldn't tell him now. It needed time.

"Let's go down. This'll be interesting for sure." Lucas leaned his weight on one hand and jumped down onto the step Nathan had been standing on. Fortunately he wasn't interested in further details.

To be continued...

This chapter is not exactly like the German version. I wrote a new scene, the one between Fedors and Lucas. I don't think there'll be any more changes like this. I'm satisfied with the story, but in my eyes the relationship between the aliens and Lucas was too short without another scene.

Unfortunatly I don't know when the fourth chapter will be up. I havn't translate it by now and I don't know if I'll have a beta for the last three chapters. Sorry for letting you wait.

Refur, thanks for all you did! It would be a pleasure for me to work again with you in the near future if your new term allows it.


	4. chapter 4

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Finally here it is the new chapter!!!! My thanks goes to Lynnp, dolphinology, Samusa, sara and Teresa for their kind reviews!

Big thank you to teresa for beta reading and another big thank you to refur. Hope you know why. ;)

"There you are!" shouted Scott excitedly as Nathan and Lucas finally arrived the lower part of the stairs, "Look at this, Nathan! It's enormous down here."

Nathan stamped at the ground with his foot, "What's this material for? Looks like new…"

"It won't be for long if keep trampling on it," Scott admonished him.

Professor LeConte slid his hand over the ground and Lucas was on his knees, "It looks like black car lacquer. Unfortunatly, I wasn't able to find out what it is exactly until now. I haven't got the right machines and instruments for it. It's unbreakable. I tried before."

"How? You set off a bomb?" Scott joked.

"No. Firstly I took a little probe to investigate the molecular structure, but no chance. I wasn't able to scratch a crumb. Even acid is useless. This stuff is really resistant."

"Not even a scratch," Tobias stood up again, "If we could mine and manufacture it, it would be the perfect material for a space ship."

"Probably," Lucas answered, "Once I manipulate the sensors from one of the vehicles to locate more of this material. But I haven't been able to find any. The sensors recognize a dense substance but no more. It looks like this is the only place on the whole planet where you can find such a construction."

"Where did you get the acid?" Bridger admonished worriedly.

Lucas grinned at him but didn't answer.

Where wall and ceiling met each other, there was a thin stripe. Nearly like a fluorescent light, but not quite. "I want to know where the light gets its power," said Tobias. His eyes were searching over the ledge of light.

"This," said Lucas excitedly, "is a rather refined mechanism. It is not energy. It's pure sunlight."

"How does it work?" Commander Keller was looking at the young man in disbelief.

"I asked myself the same question but it's actually rather simple. I had to hit myself after founding out how simple it was," He stood up, "You may not have noticed, I found it out really late, too, but on every building in this village there is a construction at one edge. Out of the ground is a black stripe. I tried to brake off a piece but instead I slashed my hand. It's all the same - these stripes lay at the edges like rails and work probably as a conductor for the sunlight."

"According to that then, at night it is pitch-black here," noticed Bridger.

"That sounds logical but its wrong."

"Don't tell me this wonderstuff is storing light."

"Not exactly, Captain. This planet doesn't just have several suns, but it has several moons too. Please don't ask me about each one. I tried to give them names, but after the first night on this planet every time you discover a new one, you give up. Everyone has its own rotation."

"Well then, the moonlight is also an energy source like the sun is during the day," noticed Tobias.

"The suns," Lucas corrected him, "But it isn't as bright during the night as it is now."

"Aren't you frightened here alone?" asked Scott. "It's a bit spooky here."

"You can't know how often I've been scared of something," Lucas answered, laughing.

He noticed Bridger's worried look. "I'll show you why," he explained, "The first thing that scared me a lot was this passage. The passage isn't long and leads to another building which leads back to the surface. But you see how there's a cross road right here. The other two passages, left and in front of us, lead deeper into this building. You are able to get back to the surface using them too, but it takes a long time."

"It shouldn't be likely you'd get lost," said Bridger.

Lucas cleared his throat, "When I first got here I did. It was at night too. The lower lever this complex is much larger than what you see here."

"How did you get back to the surface?" asked Tobias. "It couldn't be very easy. The passages look all the same. You'd become disorientated very fast."

"You're right. Fortunatly, I got out with a piece of paper and a pen. I laid a track of little paper pieces."

While telling this, he grew a big grin on his face.

"Just forgot to draw a plan of this labyrinth?" asked Scott.

"No! A plan already exists I just don't have it with me. But we don't need a plan for what I'm going to show you. We shouldn't get lost either."

"And if we do get lost, you are in good company this time," Bridger gave him a friendly pat on his shoulder.

"Right. This time it'll more pleasant company."

Off Scott's questioning look, Lucas continued, "You'll see it soon."

"This guy is a conspirator," Commander Keller said as they all followed Lucas through the left passage. That one lead them downward, and became more and more steep the further they went, "No wonder the UEO wants to shoot him!"

"I thought it was terrorists?" Lucas stopped, "Why would the UEO want to shoot me?"

"Lucas," Bridger came to his side, "I didn't want to surprise you with a thousand things at once, but even though it was the android that was an Ensign, because they haven't been able to find the real person, they've classed you as a deserter."

"Fantastic. Don't they know I'm not on earth?" Lucas looked worried.

"If I'm not wrong, then they believe you're hiding somewhere and live from the money that your android earns," Scott told him.

"Have they completely gone off their nuts? I need to live from the low wage of an Ensign? If they have access to my documents, they should know that this is all rubbish!"

"I told McGath that I can't imagine someone like you with such an interest in exploring would tan on a beach and lay there lazily."

"The proof is here," Commander Keller walked passed the standing Lucas.

"Then it's too dangerous for me to come with you," whispered the genius. Bridger thought he heard something that resembled disappointment in his voice. It seemed like he was looking foward to going back to earth with them.

"Don't worry, Kiddo. We'll find a solution. Your friends will surely think of some tricks too."

Lucas looked into Nathans eyes, "OK, let's think about how to rescue my life from the UEO later." He began to smile again, "To all I'm not worth to them. Was my work that bad?"

"From what I know, that's not true. You were a rather asked after person, if you ask me. The last time Darwin complained you haven't got enough time for him, he was really upset."

As he mentioned Darwin, Lucas looked at Bridger compassionately, "I'm sorry. I'd like to play with Darwin again. Is he OK?"

Nathan nodded, "Don't worry about him. That dolphin knows how to look after himself. The last I heard Tony and Dagwood have been spending some time with him."

"Piccolo? I never thought that he would spend some time with Darwin. Dagwood I'm not suprised, but not this wannabe crook."

Just at that moment, Lucas noticed where Commander Keller and the Professer were, "Stop, don't walk any further!" He closed his eyes and waited for the disaster, worried that his warning was too late.

"What hell is that for?" swore Commander Keller.

Professor LeConte couldn't stop himself from laughing heartily, "It looks like an energy barrier and you walked right into it."

Lucas and Bridger hurried over to them, "There are a lot of barriers like that down here. They tend to be near where there is a room or something you can enter."

"You're telling me now?" hissed Scott. His nose was bledding.

Bridger was laughing, "Didn't your parents tell you to be careful around unfamiliar places?"

"Don't laugh at me!" Scott's voice sounded nasal.

Lucas got to his knees.

"Very kind of you, but you don't have to get down in front of me," Scott told him.

"I'm not kneeling in front of you, Commander. There is a hole in the barrier down here. If I rub the ground through it with my fingers, then..." He stopped.

There was a short flash and the barrier was deactivated, "..we can pass without problems."

"How did you found out about the thing with the hole?" asked Professor LeConte.

"By chance," Lucas told them, "I walked into it, felt over it inch by inch, until I found no resistance and then the barrier was down."

Scott was holding his nose but the bleeding seemed to have stopped. Carefully, he put his foot on the ground, which would not have been achievable some minutes before, "What's next? The passage leads further?"

"Several metres, yes, but see up there where it turns off? There's a room which could be very interesting," Lucas walked out in front of them.

As they entered the room, it didn't look much different from the passage way. The ground, walls and ceiling were still of the black laqouer and the light was the same, too.

"This is no room, my boy, it is a hall," Commander Keller moved into the middle of the hall and turned around.

"What does it matter? As far as I know, it could be a storage hall or a bunker. Maybe it is a temple," said Lucas, grinning.

"He's right," Tobias said to Scott, "Do you remember when we were standing in a grotto and then we suddenly found out it was the throne of the ruler?"

"Don't remind me, Tobias. If I want to meet monsters with tentacles again I let you know, but for today this is enough."

"Monsters with tentacles?" Lucas asked Bridger.

"Don't ask me, I wasn't with them."

"Yeah, this was the young man to know, right?" Scott told them, "I have my secrets, which I'm sure you'll want to know."

"And to hear about it I have to open my chamber first?" Lucas guessed.

"Right! I am interessted in those strange chests at the wall there," Scott gestured to a wall in front of the entrance where there stood two grey stone chests.

"They look like coffins," Tobias went over to look at them, "They feel exactly like them."

"Try to open it," Lucas suggested, casually leaning against the wall at the entrance. Bridger never left his side. He seemed to be scared to loose him again.

"Is there something devilish in here?" asked Scott.

"No, there is nothing in it and I don't want any more things broken here," Lucas said.

"It mustn't be as unbreakable as the black thing is," Bridger chuckled. Shaking his head, he went to his two friends at the stone chests, "How did you break it? It is solid rock."

"If I tell you, I'll never be allowed to spend any time at your house again, Captain."

"Exactly. I'm beginning to worry what rubbish you could teach my grandson."

"Your grandson? Captain! When did you get a grandson!?"

Bridger was about to answer but Scott interrupted him, "Sorry guys, but I think there is more than enough time for the small talk later. This spooky smart young man here was about to show us something that used to scare him."

"You can't wait, can you?" Lucas sighed.

"Tell me now!"

"Go over to one of those walls. On the left wall of the entrance there is a little alcove. When I came here for the first time I accidently came across it," He slide his hand over the edge of the alcove. Just as he did, a holograph of a creature appeared in the middle of the hall.

All were looking at the creature which appeared in front of them. The creature was ten feet high, and two thirds of its height was just legs, of which it had three. The upper part of the body was plump and short. While the neck seemed normal for a human, its head was oval and long with a high forehead. The arms had two ellbows and there were more than five fingers on each of its hands. The dark brown skin looked like the leather skin of an elephant.

"Is this one of the species who built this complex?", asked Tobias.

"Probably. I wasn't able to understand his language. Some parts I can make out but not enough, unfortunatly."

"His language? This thing is talking?" asked Nathan as he moved back toward Lucas' side.

"He could once I found out how to use this console." He showed him a little console at the wall where he was standing.

Again, Lucas overwhelmed Scott, "This creature is very strange. Many scientists were sure that if there were really other intelligent life in outer space they would more look like insects, but all the species we've met until now are humanlike."

"Except the tentacled beasts," Tobias noted, grinning.

"They don't count. But this.. it is wonderful and grotesque at the same time." Amazed, he walked around the creature and observed him from all directions, letting his fingers slide through it.

"He is able to do more than just stand there," Lucas whispered to Bridger.

"Scare him!" Bridger conspired cheekily.

Lucas was still standing in front of the console and he turned toward it to push the right button.

Scott was observing the face of the creature as he began to blink. At the same moment, it began to speak to him. Its speech was similar to the sounds of whales and dolphins.

"Did you do this?" Scott asked in amazment. Just as he did, the creature took his arm and tugged him out of the hall.

Now Bridger's mouth dropped open, "What kind of hologram is this?"

"Let's follow him," said Lucas. "It did this to me too when I first activated him."

"The hologram became solid," Professor LeConte moved closer to Lucas as they hurridly followed Commander Keller and his leader.

"The advantage of this mechanism which brought him to life is that it deactivates all barriers which are in our way. The mechanism used to make this creature's hologram more life like is very similiar to what the other aliens use to become solid."

"You mean your friends?" asked Bridger.

"Yes. But unfortunatly I haven't found anything about this other species, not even what they call themselves. But that's not important at the moment. The importing thing is; Shu Thalia said no, it isn't the same mechanism that they use. I brought him here and did some tests but they all came up negative. How he became solid is a big riddle for me and the other."

"One of many," said Tobias.

"It's nice that you don't know how it all works but could somebody please help me with this thing?" shouted Scott in front of them.

"No, no, you were able to do it by yourself," Bridger laughed. It was funny to see him next to a nearly ten foothigh creature.

This creature ran through the corridors like a cockroach after switching the light on in a kitchen. Commander Keller was still in his grasp. They others had to hurry so not to lose them.

"Hopfully we'll find the exit later," Bridger said, worriedly.

"Of course," Lucas told him, "As soon as he showed us what he want us to see, he'll bring us back to the hall."

"Why you are worried?" Tobias asked Bridger, "We are with an expert. Lucas wouldn't fool us."

"But I am worried!" Scott cried out, annoyed, "This guy has a hard grip. It's cutting off my whole blood circulation."

"Stop acting like a baby!" shouted Bridger.

"Nathan is right," said Tobias, "It was your wish to have an extraordinary experience. Why aren't you enjoying being with your new friend?"

"I wanted to have the meeting according to my expectations!"

"We've arrived," said Lucas, slowing his pace. Again they were in a huge hall where the floor sloped down in the middle. The creature let Scott free and went to the middle.

Rubbing his arm, Commander Keller went over to the others who were standing there Lucas showed them. "Why am I not surprised that you're all just standing here?"

"If you are afraid that more of them could appear and grab you and drag you along through the complex, I can assure you," Lucas explained, "Here is the best place to stand."

In front of them, several symbols began to appear in the air, "Another holograph?" asked Scott.

Lucas nodded, "These are letters. What I was able to encode looks like a description of their culture."

"But you haven't encoded enough to say so for sure, have you?" asked Bridger.

"Unfortunatly, this is only one part of a bigger one, which I could read. I mean, you see it for yourself. Their writing is put together of several letters. There are all possible forms of wedge writings and hieroglyphs."

"Even for a computer expert it's not easy stuff," said Scott.

"My mother is an archaeologist. I know a bit about it and I haven't had too many problems, if that's what you're trying to say."

"Is anyone in your family something other than a scientist?"

"We should return to the surface," Lucas suggested.

"Won't our new friend come with us?" Tobias looked down at the creature.

"He'll find the way back by himself as soon his programme ends."

"Is he going to show us more?" Commander Keller wanted to know.

"Don't worry, I can show you all my records. We won't miss anything here."

"We can come back if it's necessary, but I am hungry now and I want to eat," Bridger laid one arm over Lucas's shoulder, "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

_Authors note: I am sorry to let you all wait that long and I am thankful for your patience. A big thank you to the reviewers: Lynnp and dolphinology! And also I want to say thank you for the reviews I got for my other story "the counselor": lynnp (thx for the offer. I'm glad you like my stories), swasti and dolphinology!_

_Here we go with the fifth chapter_

_Beta: Anarore_

_ many hugs as a thank you _

"And?", asked Henderson as Jonathan Ford returned to the bridge. He had been in the Captain's quarter where a meeting had taken place between himself, captain Hudson and the secretary-general who had come on board.

"We have order to be ready for a fight. This morning a research colony of the UEO was destroyed. No survivors."

"The seaQuest?"

Jonathan nodded. "After the two colonies which they took yesterday, the alliance grew by five percent. It is said there were secret documents on this research colony which no one was allowed to see."

"Why? Did they test new weapons there? Or something like the thing with the G. E.L.F.'s again?" Tony had joined them.

"According to the reports it's a pure geological research station. They studied the habitat around volcanos. The recordings were of newly discovered bacteria strains which could be used in medicine. Anyway, the UEO decided to no longer watch this without intefering. The message for mobilization went to further ships, not only to us."

"Commander, Sir, the sensors are reporting a strange ship that has emerged" reported O'Neill.

"Macronesian?", asked the commander with a concerned look.

"Aeh, no Sir! We can't identify it."

"On the screen Lieutenant", instructed Hudson, who just entered the bridge in company of McGath. Henderson and Piccolo immediately took their posts. On the large main screen, the picture of a type of ship appeared which none of them had ever seen before. "What is that?" Ford asked disbelievingly. It was oval with a narrow point at the nose. Altogether three blades were attached to the hull.

"The sensors can not identify the material of the ship", announced Henderson.

"Call them", Hudson instructed. O'Neill had his right hand on the loudspeaker of his headset when he turned to the Captain. "That is not necessary any longer. They already called us."

"Then what are you waiting for? On the screen with them!", Hudson barked at the Lieutenant.

"Do you always need that long to answer a call, Oliver?" On the screen a merrily smiling Nathan Bridger appeared, as well as a man who at least a certain part of the crew knew. Namely those who had survived Hyperion.

"You just do not know when you have to stop?" Hudson uttered.

"I am only interested in getting my old ship back. I don't like to see it being used for destruction rather than for peace, what it was actually built for!"

"Nathan", interrupted McGath. "Say what you have to say and then let these people do their work!"

"I already did." Bridger's face became serious. "Lucas is with me and with your permission we want to come on board."

The corner of Hudson's mouth twitched. The commander felt how his captain disliked this request.

"Captain," he had leaned over to Hudson and talked just loud enough so that the secretary-general standing beside Hudson could still hear. "That is Tobias LeConte next to Bridger, the guy whose homeland is Hyperion. Therefore our sensors can not identify the material of his ship It does not come from here."

"We are awaiting you", spoke McGath. Thereupon the main screen showed the spaceship in the blue ocean before them again.

"I hope you considered this well", said Hudson with an angry look at McGath.

"All attempts to get the Sea Quest back failed. Wolenczak is one of our last chances, perhaps the last one at all, he and this extraterrestial being, if we can win its technology for us. Imagine which possibilities there could be for an improvement for our fleet. It is time to manifest the UEO again as the most progressive power under the sea. All we've to do is to get along with them well. If this means putting Wolenczak back into services and doing as Bridger says, then so be it", McGath said, describing his planned approach.

Captain Hudson was still not that interested in this idea. For him only the terrestrial counted, the here and now. What would be better in crossing their own technology with extraterrestial? They had to stop the enemy, but the secretary-general preferred to develop a friendship with extraterrestial beings and spare deserters. But not with him. He would get even with with the scientist all right. His superior still hadn't submitted an official discharge of Wolenczak, therefore he was able to arrest him.

Behind them the broad bulkhead to the bridge opened. Nearly all eyes were directed towards the ever growing opening.

Bridger stepped down the two steps first, then a young man followed completely dressed in black. He looked at all the officers curiously.

"This is really an impressive ship. My compliment ", said Bridger, as he remained standing in front of Hudson and McGath.

"Created after the model of seaQuest?", Lucas asked. But when he tried to examine one of the stations closer he was roughly pushed back by Hudson.

"Mr. Wolenczak, unfortunatly you are not in the position to afford curious looks at the moment. Not as long as I am in command here on the bridge. In addition, you are walking on thin ice on my ship. Can you imagine why?" On Hudson's signal, two guards pointed their weapons at Lucas. There was no other way of handling deserters. A sarcastic smile appeared at the corner of Hudson's mouth.

"Damn, McGath. You are going to make a big mistake! He really can help. Do you want him shot by this fool?" At this offence, Bridger pointed to Hudson. "He had already left the seaQuest a long time before its disappearance. Can't you understand that or do you always go through with your pigheaded peculiarities?", Nathan nearly shouted at the secretary-general.

"This is about security and not humanity. We do not have proof for the fact that this man can help us here ", said Hudson in his peremptory tone. He was angry about the offence Bridger gave him. He still wanted to say something, but the two guards who had threatened the young scientist with their weapons threw these away because they had suddenly started to glow. The men groaned with pain, burn blisters had developed on their palms.

"If you point a weapon at me again, the same will happen again", said Lucas dryly.

"Is this a threat?", Hudson asked, as he stood himself rigidly in front of the young man.

"If you would like one, then you can accept it as one." Lucas crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"How did you do that?", McGath asked disbelievingly.

"That is not your business." Lucas turned away from Hudson and went to Bridger, whose inquiring look spoke volumes. Inconspicuously Lucas touched his hand briefly. But in this short moment a scene took place in Nathan's mind's eye, which must have occurred shortly before their takeoff.

While he made the ship ready to be launched with the help of Scott and Tobias, Lucas wanted to say good-bye again to his friends and pack up some more things. Now Bridger saw what really had happened in the last few minutes before the start.

Fedors had already expressed his thoughts in the morning that it could become dangerous for Lucas on earth in the present situation and that he would rather come along. The discussion ended with Fedors giving up. But he had not accepted it and had waited just for this moment where he could speak alone with his human friend again. He insisted on being allowed to accompany the computer genius to his homeplanet for protection. Finally Lucas accepted and the extraterrestial being merged into his body.

The pictures confused him. Did this mean Fedors was in Lucas and the security people here had just been disarmed by the alien? Bridger looked into the blue eyes of his young friend. Would he explain everything to him later?

"Well," Lucas turned to McGath and Hudson without leaving Bridger's side. "I am here to get your naval ship back. If you accept my assistance, and sooner or later you will have to do that, then I should have the possibility to analyze the visual memory of the Android beforehand. After what I've heard, it won't be too easy to hack into the enemy's systems without knowing anything about them. On the other hand I am missing more than ten years of knowledge about the development of computer technology. The earlier we begin the faster I can get the seaQuest back to you!"

"How can one only display such overbearing arrogance?", Hudson hissed.

"By having a solid opinion of one's abilities and a decent self-confidence." Lucas answered right away.

"You really don't seem to lack that, Wolenczak. I liked your machine double there far better. At least it had a better hairstyle than you."

Inwardly Lucas agreed. His hair was really too long, as soon as the people calmed down and he had some time off for himself he would worry about it. "My machine counterpart could not protect the seaQuest from the hostile takeover. I bet they weren't idle the last few days and I won't have many difficutlies in finding some bad press on the UEO on the Internet."

"Unfortunately you are right." McGath had folded his hands behind his back. Slowly he came to Lucas. "The Macronesian alliance already attacked several independent colonies in the border area and this morning they destroyed a UEO research station. Since we still withheld the information about the loss of the Sea Quest, everyone expected we did it. If we had reported the loss, the UEO would have also sunk in the favour of its patrons."

"Because they lost their fleet ship a second time, only a short time after finding it after ten years", said Lucas.

"Right. Before all armed forces go to battle against the alliance I have to report it. Our forces have already got the instruction to keep in position, but if you really should bring back our boat, you would certainly relieve the UEO of these embarrassments. Can you?" McGath regarded the young man urgently.

"As long I haven't seen the visual memory I can not make sure promises. Also, I will need some time. It can't be done from one minute to the next."

"Good." The secretary-general turned around. "Head for headquarters."

"Aye, Sir.", Ford went to his post.

"How much time you will have depends on the alliance and not on us, however. You should hurry", the secretary-general said to Lucas.

"With all due respect, Mr. Secretary-General. I am decidedly against it. The chap disarmed two of my men without batting an eyelid. God knows how he did that and besides that abandoned his post without permission. But you want to lay the further future of the UEO in his hands!", protested Hudson energetically.

Lucas had put his hands into his trouser pockets and observed him. The chap was not a friendly contemporary. His counterpart must have had a rough time with him.

"You see, if I look at Mr. Wolenczak here I am not so sure if what I believe is true or what Captain Bridger told me before. Possibly it is true after all and this young man here had already left the boat a long time before the seaQuest disappeared. Then the statement is not correct that he had left his post. Because as a civilian we cannot call him to account by means of military." McGath regarded Lucas in detail.

"If it is necessary, I can gladly submit a sufficient explanation. But in the present situation it isn't needed."

"I really hope you can help us - if not then you are one of the chief persons responsible. Hopefully you realise that. We'll still need some time to get to Cape Quest. Mr. Piccolo, if you would allocate our two guests to an accommodation."

Tony nodded at the secretary-general. "Yes, Sir." He indicated to Captain Bridger and Lucas to follow him. Tony led them through the boat in silence. "Before we go to the guest accomodation, I was asked to bring you to someone else", he said and turned to the right. Now they were in a part of the ship which resembled the Moon Pool of the Sea Quest. In front them, something grey emerged from the rectangular basin, blowing out water.

"Darwin!" Lucas ran joyfully to the dolphin. During the embrace he was nearly hanging in the basin. Bridger hurried right after him to hold on to him. "Easy does it, you two!", he laughed.

"Lucas here again, can play with Darwin.", the Vocoder translated the sounds of the dolphin.

"Exactly!" Lucas agreed with his dolphin friend. "We've still enough time." The young man beamed all over his face. Again and again he bent over to hug the dolphin or kiss him. Also the dolphin did not seem to get enough from the genius either.

"I am already wet from top to bottom by you two!"

"Keep a distance! No-one said to jump in too." Happily Lucas stroked Darwins head and stroked his side.

"To jump in too? Lucas, you are still wearing the same things as you did two days ago when we found you."

"Then it's time to clean them", answered Lucas, shrugging.

"This can't be true", Tony heard his former Captain say as he stopped beside him. However he kept enough distance as not to wetten his uniform like the reunited friends did with the captains ones. "Darwin hasn't been that chirpy in a long time", he said then

"Is nevertheless understandable. He had to go for a long time without his human friend ", answered Bridger. The joy was written in his face.

"We took care of him too. Hey Cap, don't say we were missing the certain something. Well, with Dagwood perhaps, but not with me! I even swam outside in the sea with him. Lucas definitly didn't!"

"Jealous?" Lucas laughed.

"The two have a completely special connection with each other, which was missing so far with Darwin. A connection that only caused this sudden excitement with Darwin through the presence of Lucas. He simply feels that Lucas here is someone different than the former person who was always with him. And Lucas also ", explained Bridger. He wasn't completly sure about this topic, but the two unique friends looked like it was exactly what he said.

"So again another problem is solved."

"Scott? I thought you remained on the ship." Nathan was surprised. Hadn't they settled exactly that before? Scott and Tobias would remain for emergencies on their ship.

"We intended to do so but the UEO asked us to accompany Captain Bridger and Lucas Wolenczak on the Herakles to Cape Quest." With his arms crossed in front of his chest he leaned against the wall near the edge of the basin. "However if you don't mind, I prefer not to come any closer to you now. You look as if you just came out of the pool"

"Ford told the Captain and the secretary-general who Professor LeConte really is. McGath scented gold after that. " Tony said.

"Secrets probably don't remain secret for a long time on this boat. That was to be expected, that's why only I came on board. Tobias is following us, however at the first sign of a danger he will disappear." Scott said.

"You know what that means, Scott?", Bridger turned away from Lucas and Darwin. "If they get off here because they really want to be the first with knowledge of extraterrestial technologies, you are siting on this ship on show for all to see!"

"But I am human! If they want to know the biological procedures from me, they do not need to cut me open. My knowledge is not particularly extensive either. The chap there has already more experience." Commander Keller nodded in Lucas' direction. "Tobias would never have the chance to disappear from here again as simply as I."

That was not actually Bridgers primary concern. The question of Lucas' extraterrestial friend occupied him much more. How should Fedors leave the planet again if LeConte and his ship were gone away? He couldn't live constantly in symbiosis with Lucas. In addition, this thought disturbed him enormously. Was it really Lucas here with him or Fedors? Which one had the power over their bodies, to act and speak?

Lucas followed the whole plot more casually than interested. He sat on the basin edge with Darwins head on his thigh, still stroking the dolphin. "Weren't you about to show us the quarters where we are accommodated until the arrival in Cape Quest?", he asked Tony.

"If you've finished your reunion celebration with the goldfish."

"Are we finished, goldfish?" As an answer the dolphin dived back in the water. "We are finished", smiled Lucas.

"Well, then." Tony turned straight around, but Lucas held back him. "Stop! I still need the Vocoder. Without it, I won't go anywhere."

"I fear Captain Hudson would not permit this", said Tony.

"The Captain has nothing at all to permit here. That is my invention, the patent runs on my name. This Hudson is the last person who has to forbid me something in this matter."

Fortunately Bridger had discovered the yellow equipment and pressed it into Lucas' hand. "Do not say that to him in the face please. He gladly puts people through the mincer. Your replacement was already on top of his list, I don't even want to imagine what would happen with you personally. Your real personallity is in some way wilder than that of the android."

"I don't like the chap either, Lucas." said Scott."Much too pigheaded and military. Is as cold as ice. Because of such people the world will go down."

"What a luck he is in the Navy, right? Thus you would never run the risk to come to blows with him on your space missions." Bridger put his arm in a friendly manner around Scotts shoulder, on the other side he took Lucas' arm. "Then show us our suites, Mr. Piccolo."

_ one final chapter is left _

_written December 2003_

_translated July 2005_


	6. Chapter 6

**FINAL CHAPTER**

"You don't know anymore?"

"No, I'm sorry. I waited intentionally as not to overwhelm you too much with many new things."

They were in headquarters, in an room that belonged to the security zone. On the ground in front of Lucas were the remains of his android. In his exes was inexpressible pain. "Did someone look for my father?"

"Sure, unfortunately unsuccessfully. Like they did at the seaQuest some years before."

"That's why my mother doesn't want to know anything about me. But she never did before. Probably it was convenient for her. Certainly for him as well. ", he said bitterly.

"No, Lucas. I don't believe that! Too much time has passed. Your mother is surely afraid of going through the same pain again if she opens up to you right away after your reappearance. She started to live her own life. Give her time to get accustomed to the thought that her son is alive and will always be there for her if she should need him."

"And my father?"

"Maybe he is still alive somewhere too." Bridger knelt down next to Lucas and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "But in case you need someone who is there for you at any time, then nothing has changed with me. You are still welcome."

„You have your son back. The replacement isn't necessary any more."

"Not yet. It could be that he is dead. In times likes these everything is possible and only because it is possible that my son is still alive, it won't change anything about my relationship to you. I always wanted to be there for you because your parents couldn't or didn't want to. And I still feel responsible for you. When there is no one there for you then please come to me. My door is always open for you." Lucas looked at the captain for a long time. Without a word he turned back to his work separating smaller parts from the android.

"That's it", said Fedors and pointed at a narrow metal plate . The extraterrestial being had left the body of the young genius, as they were safe in the area with no cameras or where they could be disturbed.

"Let's have a look at it." Lucas put the memory panel into a reader. A holographic display appeared. "How much time has passed since the deactivation of the androids and discovering the encroachment on the system of the Sea Quest?"

"Half an hour at least", answered Bridger.

"OK." A handful of keys were fixed to the reader which Lucas pressed now, then the events were played back to them that took place briefly before the hostile takeover. When the projector switched itself off, Lucas ran his hand through his hair thoughtfully.

"What do you think?"

"I need information. All this is very vague and could be anything possible. Perhaps I can find something from press releases of prominent software companies aswell. Such a hack-attack must have gone through a certain development time. It would be quite unusual, if there weren't any similar cases."

"You'll fetch the boat back?"

Slowly the young man nodded. "that should not be a problem. I will only need some more time. On the memory are further data which I would like to look at beforehand, even if they do not necessarily have anything to do with our case."

"Then I'll go now."

"Captain." Lucas rose. "Because I am presently in no danger, it is not necessary for me to be guarded by Fedors."

„I shall bring him to Scott?"

„No", Fedors objected.

"Please, I beg you." Lucas paused shortly. "Just for a little bit, I don't ask for more . As long as I'm useful for the UEO, they won't harm me. Moreover I have heard some things and I need to be alone to digest them. Captain Bridger will bring you to Professor LaConte and Commander Keller. On the ship you're as safe as I am now. Provided you agree to my suggestion, Captain?" With his last words he threw a look at Bridger.

"I can still act of my own free will if he...", words failed Nathan as he didn't know how to describe it exactly. He made some gestures with his hands in the direction of Fedors.

"Don't worry! You won't even notice that he is still there", laughed Lucas but his gaze was bitter. Bridger wanted to do so much more for his young friend, but he wouldn't let him, he knew.

"See you later." he said and Fedors blended into his body.

"Now, it's as follows. I was thinking how I can get access to our systems but before that, I need to test one of the UEO ships", Lucas explained to the main officers of seaQuest, Captain Bridger and secretary general McGath. It had become time to inform them all about his progresses. Since he had removed the memory of the android sixteen hours had passed. A period in which the alliance had enough time to do many terrible things. Fortunately they stayed quite. It was the calm before the storm like everyone assumed. The earlier they got back the control over seaQuest the better.

"Can you explain yourself more clearly?", asked McGath.

"Of course." Lucas walked up and down in front of the table. He stopped and turned to those present. "The problem why this encroachment took place without anything being able to be done against it, was because the intruder seemed to have manifested itself everywhere in the system. Thus no ranges could be closed in order to secure them. It had already unhindered access to all stations. On the other hand the encroachment took place by means of beam. The carrier signal could hide itself in the beam and in addition, if the frequency changes irregularly, you will practically never find it."

"If I understood the secretary general right, then his question was for what do you need a test and not how we lost our fleet ship", Hudson interrupted the computer genius curtly.

"You want to know why I need a test? That's easy. You engaged me to bring back seaQuest and to guarantee this will work I want to hack via satellite into the system of the _Excelsior_", Lucas answered in the most respectless voice he had for Captain Hudson. Hudsons face reflected his whole anger about this little kid. Lucas went on: "Like the Alliance did. I'm using the navigation signal to get access to the satellite. I want you to inform the crew of my intrusion to get them to search for me. Should they not find me within two hours, I will go on with seaQuest."

"That works?", Ford asked.

"In theory it looks quite good", said Lucas shrugging.

"I will contact the Captain of the _Excelsior_. Do you need anything else, Mr. Wolenczak?", McGath said. He had risen, in order to go into his office.

"No. All I need is a computer and there are enough of those in this room here already."

"You're dismissed. Captain Hudson, your crew will be on duty. Should we regain the control over seaQuest you can go on board again." With these words McGath left the conference room in the UEO HQ.

"Mr. Wolenczak, I hope much for you that they have success with their project, because believe me, if not, I will be the first to get even with you." Grinning spitefully, Hudson left the room. Lucas looked at him disdainfully. Before the chap could get even with him, he would be with Fedors long beyond the Milky Way.

When all but Bridger had left the room, Lucas sunk into one of the chairs. Bridger put a hand on his shoulder. "How much time do you give them before you tackle them?"

Lucas' eyes glistend. "Who has said that I will give them time?"

That was clear. How could Nathan only believe Lucas would inform anyone of his actions beforehand. "You are in already?"

"Since this morning. They haven't noticed me and I want to be really sure to get their attention on me. That's the reason for all of these tests. If I'm not discovered, I'll log into one of the satellites of the alliance and try to get access to seaQuest."

"Very smart!"

The young man activated the computer in front of him and immediately the navigation data of the _Excelsior_ appeared on the screen. "As long as nothing happens here, I can take it easy."

"Is really everything ok with you?" Bridger had sat down next to him. His hand rested on the shoulder of the young genius.

His look became gloomy again, the glisten from before faded. "Not at the moment. You know, I have tried to find out something about my parents. Did you know that my mother has changed her name back? This happened two years after seaQuest disappeared. I haven't known her like this. The name Wolenczak meant everything to her and not only opened all the doors she wanted."

"Have you tried to call her?"

"No", Lucas was dismayed. "No. As I see it, she wouldn't want me to. Besides, everyone could come. It is no problem to show my face on the vidlink and in reality someone else is talking to her. She wouldn't believe it. She hasn't in past. Only her belief is what counts. You can come up with such good arguments, she wouldn't accept any of them." Comfortingly Bridger stroked Lucas' arm.

"What's with Fedors?", asked Lucas after a while of silence.

"Oh, I believe he's going to have a nervous breakdown soon with Scott." said Bridger.

Now Lucas was able to laugh again. "Commander Keller is extremely curious on that score. That's true. I would explain some things to him myself but before I have to get seaQuest back."

Nathan had to take a deep breath to ask his next question. A question which had bothered him since he found Lucas. "Will you go away again?"

"I expected that question." The young man paused. "To be honest, I don't know. There is a lot that won't let me go but there is also a lot which wants me to go away again."

"If I'm allowed to tell you something, then I want you to stay. As long as I know where you are, I can sleep better."

"You still have your search for Robert and then there is also your grandson. He needs you. I'm not that important any longer like before when we were on seaQuest together."

"What nonsense! Lucas, you are still like a son to me. I have told you yesterday. The fact that my own son is somewhere out there and that I have a grandson means nothing to my relationship to you. It was always important for me to show you how it is to have a real family or at least to be someone who is close. After Carols death I didn't want to let anyone near me because I was hurt deeply. But later I realized, this is not the right way.

The time when I met you, I saw there is someone, who never ever had such strong feelings for someone else like I had for my family, so it was important for me to be there for you. I haven't understood to this day why you and your parents haven't been able to create such a connection to each other. You had no other feelings for your parents than anger when you came on board. You were talking of them like unloved family members, that you prefered to have them on the other side of earth than in your neighbourhood. I have worked on you for a long time and was proud to see how you met your father. At this moment I knew it was my doing too, as I don't believe you wouldn't have met in public and hugged. Not like how I got to know you."

"And now he's dead!"

"Yes, that could be, but not without having built a close relationship with you. He always called you when we started working on the new boat. Can you remember? It would be worse if you had separated during a fight. You owe it to your father to give his name all the honour he earns on your own planet, as the excellent scientist who was forseen in you. You have the talent. It would be a pity if mankind had to do without you."

"You only don't want to have to come and get me again, right?", Lucas said sarcastically.

"Exactly", Bridger nodded. "But I'm pretty egoistic and want to have you back with me on my own boat instead of an Ensign on seaQuest. In my point of view it doesn't suit you." With his voice Captain Bridger emphasized his words in a way he only seldom did.

"We're at war, Captain. A war into which man has shot himself. There is no room for science. I extremely doubt there will be something left which can be of a meaning for science when everbody is dead."

"We still can prevent it. McGath plans to bring back peace with weapons while using the technology of Tobias. He made several calls over a safe connection to him. You would be of surplus use to them. Think of how they will carry you on their hands if you agree to help them with your knowledge? That would be a better life than living amongst ruins of long gone cultures on a planet where you are the only one of your kind. No one near to you will ever give you the comfort which you can get on earth more you need.

Fringe groups have been formed which keep their technology inventions secret. Each land is starting to go it's own way in order not to have to share their technology inventions and newer products. No one will share with others. The global community is broken. An arms race was the result. Each one wants to be the ruler of the world."

**"**Alien technology isn't the solution in this case. Should McGath really want to save the peace in such a way, it would lead to an escalation faster. Such thinking brought many cultures their sure death!"

"And to prevent this, it is necessary that people with a cool mind pay attention and save these hotheads from their crazy ideas."

_"_With this behavior you are doing everything to get me away from here even faster. I don't want to play counselor and get shot by an political opponent during a silly conference."

"Damn, Lucas." Bridger hit the table with his hand.

"I'm going back with Fedors as soon seaQuest is back in the hands of the UEO. Now I want to be alone."

"How can you be so stubborn?" Madly, Captain Bridger left the conference room, disappointed that he hadn't heard what he wanted to hear. Would Lucas really leave again? He couldn't let it happen, but what else should he do? Deep inside he felt how much the young genius needed him. The pain was huge. Tears wanted to leave his eyes, and he forced them back, at least until he was alone.

"Mr. Wolenczak. The Captain of the _Excelsior_ has contacted me and asked if we still want to take over their ship." Mc Gath, accompanied by Captain Hudson and Commander Ford, came into the conference room.

The computer genius had his feet on the table and made them disappear under the table as fast as possible. He took a look at his watch. "OK, then we'll shorten the whole thing. If they weren't able to find me the last ninety minutes, they won't do it in the half of an hour left, either"

"What does that mean?", the general-secretary asked.

Grinning, Ford answered the question: "You've been in their system all the time."

"Exactly, and now I'm going to arrest them on their own ship while closing all doors and transfering all controls to me. Where do you want the _Excelsior_ to set course, Mr. General-Secretary?" Lucas stopped typing and looked at McGath.

"Do you really have the whole control over the ship?"

"Sure. A blockade in the systems of the boat itself prevents me from losing it again."

"Than bring her near the Macronasion border. There we can observe the activities of the alliance." Hudson ordered and McGath nodded his agreement at Lucas.

"Ok, course set. Then I'll try and see if I can get seaQuest back that easily too." The monitors which had shown the systems of the _Excelsior_ turned black. The logo of the UEO was seen in the middle. Lucas' fingers flew over the keyboard.

"Is there any danger of getting discovered?", McGath asked concerned.

"There is always a danger when hacking into safe systems. But with a bit of knowledge and subtlety the majority of the problems can be reduced."

Commander Ford sat down where Captain Bridger had sat some time before. "Do you follow the same strategy as you did with us a while ago?"

"Exactly. I'm logging into one of the alliance's satellites and am virtually surfing on their carrier frequency. Tarned as one of their signals, it should be easy to stay undiscovered. As soon as I'm logged into the seaQuest computer I will spread out my signal, which will make it more difficult to discover me. This is the reason why no one on the "_Excelsior_" was able to find me. I was shown everywhere as a little anomaly. In a frequency which can be resolved by an echo under water and so wouldn't classed as a real danger. If you do it right." Lucas stopped. He was sitting stiffly in front of the computer. "I'm in!"

Hudson went around to look over the shoulder of the computer genius. "You mean to say you now have access to all systems?"

"You already saw it before when I showed you how I was gonna do it. Nothing has changed about that now."

"Turn off the life-saving systems! Let these bastards die that stole my boat!"

Lucas turned around. "Don't you think that is a bit too ruthless?"

"I'm the captain of this boat and I say what will be done with these criminals!"

"We can't kill them!" Ford interrupted.

"Maybe these men know how the technology works with which they took over the control of seaQuest. Do you really want to kill them? Perhaps they know how to prevent these attacks. Should they be killed, they would take their knowledge into death and the information would be lost forever." said Lucas.

"Mr. Wolenczak", McGath had propped both arms on the table in front of Lucas and was looking at him.

"Yes?"

"Is there any way to arrest these people?", he asked.

"Well, I could try to start the alarm, to say there are some intruders on board. Maybe this would make them to go to the respective part of the boat where I can close the lukes and arrest them. If necessary the bridge could be run by one person alone. According to the sensors there are about twenty men on board. Therefore not too many which can't be surprised by a commando of the UEO. All we have to do is to separate them into smaller groups."

"About half of them are on the bridge!", Ford noticed on the monitor. "This could possibly become a problem. The security luke is located there. Even if the whole bridge is closed, it is possible to open it manelly without problems."

"Not if I flood the passageways with water", and with this Lucas pushed a button and the sensors showed a leak. At the same time he had sent a false message to the bridge station according to which there were intruders on the seadeck.

"I understand. These intruders are responsible for the water and some of the lukes will close automatically. Lucas, you amaze me again and again." laughed Ford.

"That is why I'm here. Now I'm waiting till these guys arrive on the seadeck and then I'll close the whole ship. After that I'll transfer the control to the main computer of the UEO and change the course to the seaQuest main dock. You are going to have seaQuest back in less than five hours."

"What about the Alliance? You boy wonder wouldn't believe in earnest they will watch all of this without even trying to hold their new achievement in their own hands", interrupted Hudson.

"Why not? That is exactly what I believe. According to the sensors the seaQuest is still at the same place as before. I take care of all circumstances when I'm logged into their satellite." With a low voice he added shaking his head: "They are very silly to run their whole navigation system over two satellites."

"They only have two satellites? All the ships?", Ford asked unbelievingly.

"Yes, according to these dates, they have. I'm surprised, too, but I checked it several times and I can't find any other connections. It could be possible they have other interfaces, but they aren't to be found in the orbit. I've locked the access for controlling the system with some nice security barriers. If someone trys to get into it again, he'll fail. It's not possible to get in, neither from seaQuest or from outside."

"Then we'll finally have something to use against them." said McGath determined.

"Only if the men on seaQuest tell us everything." Hudson said sceptically.

"You've seen the pictures of the observing cameras. There should be no problem. I assume the accusations against me were abolished?" asked Lucas, looking at McGath.

"Of course. You're a free man, Mr. Wolenczak." The Secretary-General came around to him. Thankfully he stretched out his hand to Lucas. "We owe you something."

THE END

written: Dec 2003

translated: July 2004 - May 2006

**THX **to all reviewers for their nice feedback and patience during the long time I needed to translate and update the story!

**THX** to my Betas: KatKnits, Refur and Anarore (teresa)


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